The Boy Behind the Christmas Tree
by GCatsPjs
Summary: Booth's Christmases through time, and his own tradition. B
1. Age 11

A little bit of a Boothcentric Christmas story... Christmases through time... through his eyes, and his tradition...

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Eleven year old Seeley Booth stood straight as a pin, his shoulders upright and sharp, his head pressed evenly in the corner as he looked out into the family room. Usually when he did this stance, there was nothing impeding his view, on a normal day he'd be looking out onto an old green couch with yellow lines, a burnt orange shag carpet, a tray table or two beside the table where his father's ash tray sat.

Today, however, standing in front of him was the family Christmas tree. He wasn't hiding from anything specific, perhaps only himself at this point, but he knew his father was coming home early from work today. He knew that his father only left work early so that he could go to the bar and have a few drinks, only to come home at the time he'd usually get home from work, stinking like beer and cigarettes. It was nearly five o'clock on Christmas Eve, and Seeley stared into the trunk of the Christmas tree, staring at the wood, the smell of spruce filling the air as he wished he could be somewhere else.

It was snowing out, again… he had played outside after school until nearly dark, when his mother told him to get inside and change for dinner, before his father came home. He could smell the spruce from the tree, wafting through the air, the smell of his mother's lasagna sauce pushing over the smell of spruce, mixing it, swirling with it in the air. He had changed into a red and green striped sweater, one that his mother had bought for him for Christmas the year before, it still fit, mostly… though he had grown quite a bit in the past year, but he didn't care. It would make his mother happy to see him wearing the sweater.

He stared out past the tree, the decorations sparkling on the farthest branches, the tinsel and lights twinkling, the feeling of warmth that entered his heart when he thought of the holidays made his heart beat faster. All of the sights and smells of Christmas were in the air, and he couldn't think of anything better that he'd do with his time.

Suddenly, the sound of pounding feet filled the house, and six year old Jared came careening down the stairs at top speed. "Mom! Mom! Daddy's home!" He squealed as he ran around the corner, the sound of his socks slipping across the floor as his mother caught him mid-slide. Her laughter filled the house as she called her son a 'silly boy', and kissed him atop his head.

It didn't take but for a moment for the entire mood of the house to change, however. As soon as his father stepped into the house, it was as if a storm cloud had swept over the family room and kitchen. His father's booming voice filled the entire house, and from the sound of his speech, Seeley could tell that he was drunk. He closed his eyes for a moment, cringing at the sharp tone of his father's tongue, trying to will the warm feeling that he had been feeling back into his heart. He breathed deeply the smell of the spruce tree, tinsel, and of the popcorn that he and Jared had threaded together and placed across the tree. He tried to imagine Christmas morning, bounding down the stairs with Jared, the gifts under the tree, the smile on his mother's face, and the… glass of egg nog in his father's hand.

Seeley sighed and opened his eyes again, now he was staring through the tree into the eyes of his little brother, a mischievous grin spread over the six-year-old's face. "MOM!" he shouted as he stared at his brother's scowl. "Mom! Seeley is behind the tree again!" He exclaimed, running as quickly as he could back into the kitchen, Seeley took a step to chase him and changed his mind. He crossed his arms over his chest and slammed his back into the corner once again, his eyes narrowed in irritation. He could hear his brother's over excited voice going on and on in the kitchen, and he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

He waited… and then he sensed another presence in front of him. He breathed deeply, expecting the smell of bourbon and cigarettes, and instead was greeted with the scent of a light perfume, a bit of Italian seasoning, and a hint of cinnamon. His eyes opened, and he tipped his head up, his mother's warm, brown eyes looking down on him. "Seeley…?" She said softly. "Why don't you come out from behind the tree… help me set the table for dinner?" She asked, watching her son's thoughtful eyes as he watched her. He didn't say a word, just watched her expression.

"Jared told on me." He whispered grumpily.

"Your brother is just excitable… he's a little boy, after all…"

"I'm still a little boy, too." He whispered.

"You're my little boy." She replied. "Come out from behind the tree, Seeley…"

"He's drunk again." He said, noting the hurt in his mother's eyes, he immediately regretted his words.

"He's your father… he loves you."

"He loves drinking more than he loves me." Seeley whispered.

"Seeley!" His mother said as she shook her head, the concern in her eyes for her son's thoughts was evident, but she also didn't like the way he was thinking.

"I'm sorry, Mom." He whispered, hanging his head as he stared at his socked feet, wishing that the floor would swallow him whole. "I'll set the table in a second." He whispered, waiting for his mother to leave. She stood in front of the tree for several more moments, watching her son as he stand behind the tree.

"I love you, Seeley." She whispered, turning around she disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving him with his thoughts.


	2. Age 12

Age 12-

Same corner, same day of the year, no Christmas tree. Seeley stared into the empty living room. Sure, it was the same furniture, the same set up, the same ashtray sitting on the same table, but something was different. Everything was different. He stared out in front of himself, imagining a tree, closing his eyes, he imagined the smell of the spruce that wafted from the branches and seemed to envelop him. The year had been a rough one, his mother had gotten sick early in the year, and faded quickly. She died only three weeks before Christmas, leaving him there to care for his seven year old brother, and his father, whose drinking had only become worse.

He didn't feel like a child anymore, he felt that there was too much on his shoulders. He had found himself caring for his father more than any child should, and dreading the responsibility that he knew he'd have to take when it involved his brother. They were both so young, though Seeley was tough. He was trying so hard to not let this break him, to not let this kill him. His mother was in heaven. She was looking down upon them, and he needed to make sure that she would be proud of him, that she would think he would grow to be a kind and noble man, a religious man, and have meaning and purpose in his life that would make her proud. He wished so hard that he could see that Christmas tree, the decorations that he and Jared had made, the tiny glittery balls that shimmered with the lights of the season, but there were no decorations, no red and green ribbons, and certainly no glittery ornaments to lighten his heart, not this year, not in this house.

It was nearly five in the evening, and there was no smell from the kitchen, no lasagna, no cinnamon, no anything that represented Christmas to him. His father had not come home from the bar, though his days there were longer and more frequent.

Seeley closed his eyes tightly, trying to will the tears away, feeling that familiar lump in his throat that had been there since his mother had said goodbye to him. There would be a Christmas, his grandfather had promised him, but he'd have to wait for that. He'd have to wait until Christmas morning, come downstairs to an empty house and a snoring father lying across the couch, who refused to sleep in his bed anymore since his mother had died. He would check to be sure he was still breathing, and be very careful not to wake him up. They'd spend the morning with his father, though Pops thought they were celebrating, they would actually spend it waiting for his father to wake up long enough to drive them to Pop's and Granny's house, drop them off and head over to the bar.

If Seeley breathed deeply enough, he could smell his mother's perfume and feel her warm hug around him as he stood there. If he held his breath long enough, maybe he'd forget to breathe again and be able to see her once again. He stood with his chest sticking out and his eyes closed, completely lost in the moment, until he felt a sharp punch to his stomach.

"What are you doing, Dork?" Jared asked when Seeley released the breath and opened his eyes.

"Shut up." Seeley replied.

"You're such a dork…" Jared laughed.

"I said, shut up!" He screamed at his brother, who just laughed and pushed him. "That's it!" He screamed as he ran at his brother, his hands outstretched as he jumped at him, sending them both toppling to the floor. A wrestling match ensued, and though Seeley could have easily beaten his brother to a pulp, he allowed him to roll him onto his back and press his hands against his neck, choking him. He had tears rolling down his cheeks as he struggled just enough for Jared to keep pushing, though just as Seeley was starting to feel light headed, his brother was lifted from on top of him by someone much bigger than them both.

"What do you think you're doing, you little snot?" His father's booming voice filled the room as he held Jared by his collar, and Seeley coughed and choked on the floor as he felt his father's shove with his foot. "Don't be such a pussy, Seeley…" He slurred. "You let your little brother beat you up… ha!" He said as he let go of Jared's collar. "Go to your room." He said as Jared took off running toward the stairs. "And get up, you little pussy… get up and make me something to eat… I work all day long, and I come home to you little shits fighting…" He grumbled. "I said get up!" He shouted, kicking Seeley again, before he turned and walked from the room and toward the liquor cabinet, leaving Seeley on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

He closed his eyes, feeling the prickling of tears in the corner of them. "I miss you, Mom." He whispered, as he stood up slowly, and made his way toward the kitchen.


	3. Age 15

Age 15-

Seeley stood in the corner of the room. It was Christmas Eve once again. Three years had passed since his mother had died, and one since his father had left, and it appeared that things were for the better. He stood behind the Christmas tree, and couldn't help but notice the different smells, the different kind of warmth, the different kind of feeling that he had deep in his heart. There were no physical scars that his father had left from the drunken beatings that Seeley had survived, but there were emotional scars, scars that he knew would never fully disappear.

He stood in the corner behind the tree, looking out at the room before him, his grandparent's house. The tree wasn't a real spruce, reeking of cigar smoke and old newspapers from being in storage, and victim to his grandfather's cigar habit. Though it was a tree nonetheless. He breathed in the smell of the tree, the scent wasn't really unpleasant, but it wasn't really home either.

It was Christmas eve, just about five o'clock, and Seeley's grandfather sit at a desk across the room writing checks for the bills, as his grandmother sang Christmas carols from the kitchen while she cooked. He stared at the sparkly ornaments that hung from the tree, the lights that flashed colors that had faded over time. They weren't vibrant and bright like the lights on a new tree, but dim and almost lifeless. He heard the sound of shoes coming in his direction, the clomping sound of boots in the hallway as Jared came in from outside. He stepped into the room, and Seeley noted immediately that his brother was standing in the same place that he always stood on Christmas eve, the same place at the same time, every year. "Pops, will you tell him to stop doing that?" Jared said with an irritated nod toward his brother.

Hank turned around in his chair, noticing that Seeley was standing as straight as a pin, staring out, ignoring all else that was going on around him. "Jared, leave your brother alone."

"Pops, it's creepy!" Jared insisted.

"He's thinking, Jared… let him have a moment."

"He's behind the tree… normal people look at the Christmas tree from the front of it… normal people don't stand in the corner and act like zombies on Christmas Eve." Jared said, making a face at his brother.

Seeley refused to react to his brother's antics. Just because he didn't understand what was going through his mind, didn't mean he was going to derail those thoughts.

"What did I say, Jared?" Hank replied. "Leave Seeley alone."

"Whatever." Jared rolled his eyes, he turned and walked out of the room and climbed the stairs to what had become his and Seeley's bedroom when they had moved in.

Seeley closed his eyes, he took a deep, cleansing breath and thought of his mother. He tried to remember the smell of the lasagna, the spruce tree, the feel of her hand on his. He tried to hear her voice in his head, he tried to remember what it was like to have a real tree. When he opened his eyes, he was looking directly through the tree at the eyes of his grandfather.

"You okay, Shrimp?" Hank asked. His eyes were filled with concern, but he understood that the boy was just having a moment.

"I'm okay, Pops." He nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips as his grandfather smiled back.

"If you need to talk…"

"I know, Pops." He nodded.

"I love you, kid."

"I know, Pops." He smiled a little brighter. "I love you too." He said, watching silently as his grandfather nodded, turned and joined his grandmother in the kitchen to help with Christmas dinner.


	4. Age 18

Age 18-

He stood in the corner of the barracks alone. It was Christmas Eve, and he was taking a moment of solitude in remembrance of his past. The year had flown by so quickly, and before he knew it, he was leaving for the army. No tree, but if he closed his eyes he could feel the warmth of home, with Pops and Granny, their hugs, their delicious Christmas Eve feast. He wished they could have a Christmas tree, a real tree for a change, but something deep in his heart also missed the smell of his grandfather's artificial tree. There was just something about the smell of his grandfather's cigars, and the itchiness of his grandfather's couch, and the warm hand of his grandmother when they sat at Christmas dinner and said their prayer.

He had talked to his grandfather two weeks before, knowing that he would be curious how he was holding up. The soldiers were all able to make a phone call home to their loved ones for the holidays, and his Pops had been very happy to hear from him. His grandmother had picked up on the other line, and they laughed with him and kept him up to date with what they and Jared had been up to. When he had hung the phone up, he couldn't help but let several tears fall from his eyes, crying was something he rarely allowed himself to do.

He held his breath and closed his eyes, imagining that Christmas tree of his early childhood, and wished for a moment that he could smell that spruce smell once again. He tried not to think of his father or his mother during this time, but he just couldn't help it. His Christmas memories were entwined with the memory of his parents, and there was no escaping that.

The truth was, he actually missed his father. He wasn't all bad, though he did drink too much, and he was abusive at times, he wasn't a bad man. He was a tortured man, he was a broken man, and the alcohol had made him do the things that he had no control of. He had been a fighter pilot in Vietnam, he had come home and was not the same man, his mother had told him. When Seeley was six, he remembered sitting on his father's lap while he laughed and handed him Christmas gifts, helping him open them while his mother watched on. There was photographic evidence of these moments, but never time or inclination to look at them. He missed his father, missed his mother, missed happiness, and missed home. He wondered if his father would be proud of him.

He reached his hand to his neck, holding the St. Christopher's medal that his grandfather had given him before he had left, he found himself smiling slightly. He had been an altar boy, a good boy, as his grandfather had always told him and this medal was supposed to keep him safe, safe from the dangers that his grandfather knew he was going out into, the dangers that his grandfather knew just as well as a former MPO. He sighed as he thought of Pops, knowing full well that he was at least one person that was proud of him, he was proud and that was all that Seeley needed right now to get him through this day, this season, this moment.

He heard a door open in the barracks, slamming closed, he heard someone moving around. If they had seen him standing there, they hadn't said anything. He was grateful for the silence. He heard the other man shuffling around in some belongings somewhere in the room, and then the sound of boots on the floor as he opened the door. "Booth… when you're done… dinner's in ten." The voice said quickly, a familiar voice of a fellow soldier, he was thankful that nothing more was said about it.

The corner was suddenly cool, and his eyes closed so tightly that he could almost see that tree, he could almost smell it as he opened his eyes and released a held breath, before swallowing hard and grunting slightly to himself, clearing his throat, he quickly exited the barracks, and headed toward the mess hall.


	5. Age 23

Age 23-

Something needed to change. Something needed to change now, because he could feel everything slipping away. He needed a change, he needed to make something right because things were falling apart around him. He needed something to stabilize him, he was falling apart. He had just lost everything he had in his pockets in a stupid game of poker, and now he stood, his back against the corner in his one bedroom apartment, his pockets empty, his stomach empty, and his apartment was trashed.

Someone had been here looking for money, and he was very sure that they found none, because Seeley knew that if he had any money, it would have been gone after that poker game also. He rubbed his hand over his face as he stared at the Christmas tree that he had bought as it lay tipped on the floor, water from its holder spilled over the dark wooden floor, soaking into the finish. Christmas Eve, and he stand here staring down at what was once his Christmas tree. Pops had given him some ornaments for it, some small things that would make him think of home, he even tossed his dog tags over one of the branches as an added decoration.

He didn't want to lift it up, he didn't want to know if the ornaments were broken, he didn't want to know anything. He stared down at the tree and he thought of how it looked before he had gone to work that morning. It was sparkling with new lights, and smelled so fresh and so much like Christmas that he thought for a moment that he could cry out for joy. He stared down at the tree and now he wanted to cry for a different reason. It was too much, it was time for him to make a change.

He had been drinking more since he had been brought home from overseas, drinking and gambling, and smoking cigars. The latter was a habit that he had picked up from his grandfather, and he only did it when he was drinking or gambling, which seemed to be a lot more often than it should be. He stood in the corner, and heard a knock at his door. He held his breath, hoping that whoever it was would just go away, but there was another knock.

"Seeley, you in there?" A familiar voice rang out. It was Jared, stopping by for something, probably to borrow money or his car, or maybe they had gotten to him, maybe the men who had trashed his apartment had beat up his little brother too. "Seeley, you home?" He knocked again. He didn't sound upset or worried, just sounded like Jared. He heard the feet in the hallway turn, and his voice mumbling to someone else. He knocked one more time, and then the feet made their way back down the stairs of the apartment building and out to the street.

Seeley continued to stare across his apartment at the mess that was his life, and vowed to make a change. He vowed to find something good for him to participate in, something he could be proud of, something that his Pops would be proud of. He needed to make up for the lives he had taken as a sniper. He needed to make right the things that he had done wrong, and even though he couldn't get back the lives of the men he had taken, he could at least try to make up for it. That's right, Seeley Booth was going to become a better man, a responsible man, a sober man.

With a deep, rattling breath, he closed his eyes and covered his face. He allowed himself to slide down the corner to a crouching position, where he let out an exasperated grunt before allowing himself to crumble into tears, praying for the strength of the future, and the motivation to become something that he wasn't sure was possible.


	6. Age 28

Age 28-

This year was different. Not different in that he didn't find himself standing alone in his apartment in the corner on Christmas Eve, but different nonetheless. He was dating again, something he felt shameful about when his gambling was at his worst. Sure, he had a one night stand or two, but no relationships, not real relationships. His Christmas Eve wasn't going to be a complete bust, but he needed this time to stand in his place, behind the large spruce Christmas tree that he had bought for the season. It was the first real, full size Christmas tree that he had since he was a little boy, and the thought made him smile. He stood in the corner, straight as a pin, staring through the spruce branches at the brightly colored lights that were on the tree.

It was nearly five o'clock in the evening, and he had two hours before he went to Rebecca's house to meet her family. Christmas Eve dinner… It wasn't with his Pops, or his grandmother, not with his mother or brother, or father, but with a room full of strangers that he was almost scared of meeting. He knew that there would be questions… tons of questions about his job with the FBI, about his past, about his future. He didn't like being asked questions, not by strangers, not by people who he didn't know, or didn't know him. No, he'd prefer to close his eyes behind the tree and take in the fresh, beautiful scent of that tree, and if he tried hard enough, he could still smell his mother's lasagna cooking in the kitchen. He smiled as his eyes opened, and straightened even more.

He was finally proud of himself, making something of himself. He was happy with Rebecca, happy with his situation, happy with his job, happy with the direction his life was taking him in. Yes, he was genuinely happy, he thought.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the door opening and closing in his apartment. "Seeley, you around?" It was Jared. He didn't answer, didn't say a word. He just opened his eyes and stared out into the living room. After a moment, the sound of his brother's shoes made their way through the house and entered the living room. "Man, what the hell are you doing?" He asked as he walked up to the tree and looked in on his older brother as he stared out at him. "You're not going to answer me, are you? You never answer me…"

Seeley wanted to ask his brother what he wanted, he wanted to ask him why he was in his apartment, just letting himself in whenever he felt like it. He glared through the branches.

"So what the hell are you doing back there, anyway? You've done this since we were kids, and it still doesn't make it any less creepy or weird."

"What do you want?" Seeley asked his brother, watching the smug smirk that rose on his lips.

"Can you spot me a couple of bucks? I was going to take Stacy out for some dinner, and I lost my wallet."

"You lost your wallet?" Seeley asked, knowing that it wasn't the case, but he just wanted to be left alone.

"My wallet is on my dresser." He muttered. "Take twenty…"

"Twenty? What's twenty bucks going to buy her? We're getting steak!" He said proudly as he walked toward Seeley's room. "I'll take forty… thanks, man." Jared said as he disappeared into the bedroom for a second.

Seeley swallowed his thoughts of frustration and closed his eyes, resisting the urge to tell his brother to stop behaving like a spoiled child, and to get a job. He listened to the sound of his brother's feet walking across the floor. They sounded very reminiscent of his father's feet, the gait very similar, the stride holding a bit of hesitation. When the door opened and closed, and the room was then bathed in silence, Seeley found himself feeling just a bit angry. Not one mention of Christmas to him from his brother, not one Merry Christmas, just another request for money, and a hasty exit. If Christmas meant nothing to his little brother, then why did it mean so much to him? He sighed gently and smiled a little, pushing that anger into the far recesses of his mind. He had a date to get ready for… there was no more time for anger… it is Christmas.


	7. Age 31

Age 31

Finally, the apartment was quiet… it was quiet… and Seeley was reveling in that sound. He stood in the corner of the room, the tree in front of him yet again as he stared out into his living room. The lights seemed brighter this year, happier. It was almost five in the afternoon, and he knew that he only had two hours left. He breathed in the sight of the tree, and he stared out at the object on the other side of the tree, the object of the sounds in the apartment for the day, the object of his happiness and affection.

His eyes moved from the object, and focused on the branches of the tree. It was a larger spruce, larger than the year before, but it still smelled so sweet. He didn't know what he'd be having for dinner that night, perhaps some leftovers, but it didn't matter… what mattered was the object that was on the other side of that Christmas tree.

His son.

Parker.

He had a son, and his son was sleeping… peacefully… It had been a little over a year since Parker had been born, and though he was around last Christmas, it was this Christmas that really mattered. He was alert and smiled, laughed… he looked at things in a whole different way than he had before, following things with his eyes, he was a very happy, very giggly baby.

He wasn't the only one looking at things differently, so was Seeley. And though Rebecca refused to marry him, and though they weren't together anymore, and though he wished that he could get away from work for the week to visit Pops this year instead of a week later like he planned… he didn't care about any of that… He had his son.

The apartment seemed different when Parker was there, a little warmer, a little happier. Seeley enjoyed being a father, and didn't even mind the small or stinky things that went along with it. He was never bothered by late night feedings, and though Rebecca would put up a fight each and every time he said he'd want to spend time with his son, she always managed to relent… and he had quite perfected the sad look, and the sad sound in his voice when she put up a fight. After all, he was his son.

His son.

He heard a sound, emitted from within the playpen that he was looking out onto, and after a moment, he saw two hands at the top of the railing, and a set of dark eyes peeking out. Parker made a sound, his eyes caught by the lights of the Christmas tree, they were spellbound by the pretty colors, and he let out a slight giggle. Seeley smiled at his son's expression, the look of wonder in every child's eyes, and at his age he hadn't even learned of all of the other important aspects of Christmas, and the celebration…the gifts, the giving, the love that he wanted to shower onto his young son. He wondered if he had ever had that sparkle in his eye when he was a baby, that innocent expression that would send his father's heart swooning. It didn't matter that he had to leave in two hours to go back to his mother, though… Parker would be his son forever, and he was going to make sure that he knew that he'd always be there, no matter what. He'd try his very best to make sure that all of his Christmases were special and perfect.

Without wasting another moment, he stepped out from behind the tree and to his son's playpen. He lifted the boy out and held him securely in his arms. "Well… it's good to see you're awake, little big man." He smiled as he walked up toward the tree, the little boy's eyes never leaving the sparkly lights. "Here…" Seeley whispered, reaching for the tree, he pulled a small green ball from the spruce branch. He placed it in his son's hands for a moment. "Look…" He said with a smile, the reflection in the ball showing a strange distortion of their faces. "Look at that… it's Parker and daddy…" He said, smiling as the little boy looked into his father's face and smiled, and Seeley smiled too.


	8. Age 33:Man in the Fallout Shelter

Age 33-

Christmas Eve again, though it was much later in the evening than Seeley was used to being awake. Sleep was very hard to come by this year, and he quietly slipped into the room quietly. The cold steely appearance of everything in this lab was enough to make their attempt at decorating for Christmas appear to be somewhat of a lame attempt at bringing Christmas cheer to a sterile environment.

He didn't want to be here, this was definitely not where he wanted to be. He wanted to be home, home with his little boy. Home with Parker, and instead he was stuck in a cold, lonely lab with cold, lonely people who had no idea how to celebrate a holiday. He had started the day off on the wrong foot… insulting Bones, being insulted by Bones. He could blame it on the drugs they had given him the night before, but that wouldn't be fair. She was lonely, and he was too, but for obviously different reasons. He at least had someone who had wanted to see him, be with him, someone who loved him. Sometimes he wondered if she ever had anyone.

He moved to the corner of the room, staring at the platform of the Angelator. Angela had said that she had a surprise for everyone, ever the artist, she was using the tools in front of her to create something from nothing. He admired her for that. If he thought of it really hard, and allowed for his Catholic upbringing to take hold, he could ultimately say that this whole situation was his fault. If he hadn't brought that body to Bones, this would never have happened.

Rebecca had been tougher than usual to deal with, and when he told her about the quarantine, there was a moment where she had absolutely refused to have Sid bring Parker to see him. He knew that would have crushed him, and he thought it funny how before Parker, the holiday seemed almost empty, as if he were waiting for someone to share it with, and now he found himself alone again, though at least he wasn't the only one.

He let his head bow so that his eyes were on the ground, the shiny, clean ground that reflected the lights from above, and his own reflection back at him. He closed his eyes in that late hour of Christmas Eve, and there was a slight noise that he could hear from somewhere in the lab. The acoustics in the building were amazing, and if he listened closely enough, he could hear a husky voice speaking quickly.

Bones.

He let a slight smile lift to his lips, the sound of her voice invading his senses as he listened to the tired sound of her voice. Only she would still be awake at this hour, talking on the phone, trying desperately to find the woman who 'Careful Lionel' belonged to, belonged with. He had thought that she had been cold because she was just like that, a cold person… but she was just alone, scared, and really not sure how to act around others. He didn't think she was broken, a broken person wouldn't be able to carry with themselves the size of ego that she carries with her. He let out a light chuckle to himself, taking a deep breath, he looked up at the small platform of the Angelator again. He breathed deeply and smelled nothing, no tree, no lasagna, not the smell of his mother's perfume. He smelled nothing, and swallowed hard as he thought of his friend, his partner, who sat in the room behind him calling everyone possible in a desperate search to save someone else's Christmas, because she felt that hers was a lost cause.

He let a tear escape his eye as he thought of that lack of the Christmas spirit, not because he missed it himself… but because he knew that the woman who was in the room behind him, that woman who had a unquenchable thirst for the truth and logic, may not have had the spirit of Christmas in her heart for much longer than the three hundred and sixty five days that he had been waiting to feel it.


	9. Age 35:Santa in the Slush

Age 35-

It was Christmas Eve yet again, and it had been a long one. He had finally convinced Parker that it was time to go to bed before Santa gave up and decided not to stop by, when he slipped quietly behind the Christmas tree. It was the first time that he found himself self conscious of this action, the first time since he started his little tradition. He didn't want Parker to walk out of his bedroom and see his old man standing in the corner behind the tree, he'd probably think he was Santa, or crazy… or both. He just had a lot of thinking to do. It wasn't late, maybe ten in the evening, and he and Parker had gone out for some hot cocoa after they had stopped at the prison to give Bones her gift. She sounded happy on the phone. Seeley smiled at the thought.

She had been fighting him tooth and nail about Santa and lying to children, and about the entire case, but in the end the case was solved, and they had gotten their man. She could be so stubborn sometimes when she thought she was right. The case wasn't too tough to deal with, though the murdered suspect had been a 'Santa', a fact of which that he had kept from Parker. The boy had heard enough about what his father had worked with every day, he didn't need to hear details like that. In fact, the main stress of the case had centered around Parker. Rebecca had tried to pull her 'parental rights' routine and have Parker go with her and her boyfriend to Vermont, and Bones was having a bit of a crisis of her own with her father and brother both being in prison. She tried to escape off to Peru, but was convinced of the Christmas spirit. Seeley was glad she had stayed in town. She kept him focused on the case, and he was glad that she had given her father his Christmas wish. It was a big step in their relationship, and he knew that Bones needed to learn that running away was never the answer to anything.

He sighed as he breathed in the smell of the spruce tree in front of him, picturing that extra tree that he and Parker had dropped off at the homeless shelter in the city, decorated and sparkling, the residents seemed very happy to have a Christmas tree, and he had been able to share a little bit of Christmas spirit to those who were less fortunate. He breathed in the fresh air of the tree, and smiled, thinking of the look on Bones face when he had turned on the tree, he could see her waving, and the smile was in her voice. She had loved her gift. He smiled to himself, happy with himself and his choice of gift for his partner, and he hoped she understood how proud of her he was for pulling a few strings for her father, which immediately brought his thoughts back to that moment in her office. The 'mistletoe moment' as he had come to think of it.

He had been surprised at first, at her request… but not at all surprised where the request had come from. He had warned her about Caroline's 'deals', and he was willing to talk to her, try to talk her out of it… but Bones had been quite insistent. If kissing him was all he had to do to get her father the Christmas that he wanted, then she was ready and up for the challenge. She didn't give him a moment to think about it, because before he had known it, Caroline was standing right next to them shoving them together. The kiss wasn't quick by any stretch of the imagination, and he felt her pull herself into him. He found himself lifting his hand to his lips, feeling the warmth of hers on his fingertips, he felt foolish at that moment, dropping his hand, he looked to the ceiling. He tried to ward off the warm feelings he had suddenly at the thought of kissing his partner and tried to convince himself it was only a deal… that was all it was… However, if it was only a deal… how did her tongue manage to get into his mouth… and why did he like it so much.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his reverie by the sound of a light knock on his door. His head dropped and he listened again, unsure if there was, indeed a knock. Then he heard it again. It was hesitant, but present, and he slid from his place behind the tree. He walked slowly to the door and looked through the peek hole, recognizing the dark coat, she looked hesitant, stepping back. He opened the door and looked into the hallway, her eyes widening in surprise as her jaw dropped slightly. "Uh…"

"Hey, Bones…" He said softly as she shrugged.

"I um… I wasn't going to come over, but… I was in the neighborhood, and I thought I'd drop by and give you the gift that I bought for you. I understand you have Parker, and you're probably entertaining him and…"

"He's sleeping, Bones." He whispered.

"Oh… oh, well… I.. I don't want to bother you guys, so I'll just… I'll bring this back after Christmas." She said awkwardly, shrugging.

He could point out that her apartment was between his and the prison where she had obviously come from, but he just shook his head and smiled. "Come in, it's okay. He sleeps like a log."

"But I thought that Christmas Eve night was the night of the…"

"Immaculate deception… yeah." Booth said with of a roll of his eyes.

"I don't know what that…"

"Just come in, Bones… " He said as he reached into the hallway and grabbed her arm, tugging it lightly, she stepped into the apartment and turned around, in her other hand, she held a small green box.

"Are you sure? I can come back another time and…"

"No, it's fine… sit down… do you want something to drink? Beer? Water?"

She thought for a moment. "A beer would be fine." She said, standing awkwardly, she looked around the room, catching sight of the tree. "Your tree looks nice." She said, glancing back to Booth as he walked toward the kitchen.

"Thanks… you've seen it, Bones." He said, sure that she was just trying to make conversation with him, she followed after him as he opened up the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, pulling the cap off, he handed it over to her and grabbed his own.

"Have I been here since you've put it up?" She asked, glancing back toward the tree and back to Booth.

"Probably." He said with a smile, nodding toward the box in her hands. "What do you have there?"

"It's your Christmas gift." She said, using the tone she always did when she said something obvious.

"I know that, but what's in it?"

"You have to open it." She said, handing it over to him, he glanced to her and then to the box, and back to her again. "It's not much, just something I thought you'd like."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Bones."

"Booth…" She said, tilting her head as she sighed. "Just open it." She said as she reached for the box again, only for him to pull it away from her.

He opened the box while watching her, her eyes moving to the inside of the box as he watched her for a moment, her eyes lifting to meet his before he looked down in the box. "Bones…" He said softly, his voice almost a whisper as he reached his fingertips into the box and gently pulled the gold chain from within it. "You really…"

"It's just a little something… you don't have to wear it, or use it… or anything." She mumbled to herself as she shrugged.

Pulling the chain the rest of the way out, a small, simple, golden cross hung from the charm on the necklace. "It's beautiful." He said, his smile appreciative as he looked up into her eyes. "Thank you."

"It's nothing special, I mean… I thought that you…"

"It's perfect, Bones." He said as he pulled the gold chain around his neck and smiled at his partner. "It's perfect." He whispered, touching the gold of the cross with his fingertips.

They stood for a moment as she sipped from her bottle of beer, her eyes moving to the cross as they stood in an awkward silence for a moment. "Oh…" She whispered as she reached forward and touched the front of his sweater.

"What?" He whispered as he started slightly from her sudden touch, he looked up into her eyes as she pulled a spruce needle from his sweater. "Oh."

"Spruce needle." She said with a smile as she held up the offending piece of greenery. She inspected it as she took another sip of her beer, leaning onto the table as she pulled herself onto the barstool. "Did you ever notice how nice a freshly cut Christmas tree smells?" She asked absentmindedly as she looked over at her partner as he watched her with a curious smile on his lips. "What?" She asked, when he didn't answer.

"Nothing, Bones." He said as he pulled himself into the barstool across from her and settled back, his eyes flickering down to the golden cross that now hung from his neck as he enjoyed his partner's company, and relaxed into the Christmas spirit that was quickly taking hold of his heart.


	10. Age 37:The Goop On the Girl

Age 37-

Seeley leaned against the wall as he stood in the corner of his apartment, the Christmas tree directly in front of him. It was Christmas Eve, late in the evening. The room was dark but for the Christmas tree that was aglow, brightly colored and decorated. The apartment was quiet, very quiet, too quiet, and for the first time that evening, he wished he had taken Bones up on her request to help her prepare for Christmas dinner at her house. He had feigned exhaustion and declined, though he was tired, and they both had to get up in the morning to attend Holden Chevaleer's funeral. Cases are always tough, but this one had been especially difficult for many reasons. Cases are never easy around the holidays… a murder is probably at least one hundred times worse around the holidays. Seeley chuckled at the thought of Bones telling him that there wasn't any scientific evidence of such a fact. The main reason this case was so hard though, was the thought of the victim's mother. Her son had been all that she had, the one thing that made her life worth living and someone took it all away from her.

Someone took her life, her happiness.

Seeley closed his eyes, trying to ward away the anger that was brewing beneath the surface. The murderers, the man and woman who had killed this man were ruthless and unapologetic, and that always made him angry. Greed, selfishness, call it what you like, it always made Seeley angry. It made him angry, and a little bit sad… it made him very sad thinking that there were people in the world that thought they had the right to take someone's life simply for their own gain. It just adds insult to injury when they think that they will be able to get away with it.

His thoughts strayed to Jared. He was like this in some ways, greedy… though he'd never kill someone for his own gain, or so Seeley hoped. He knew that Jared was a good kid, deep down… even if he didn't know when to stop. Because here it was, Christmas Eve… and he hadn't heard from his brother in at least a week. It only proved that he was completely alone.

_Max told me that being alone at Christmas, means that nobody loves you._

Seeley sucked in a deep breath, feeling a slight air of irritation at his partner's words. How dare Max tell Bones such a thing? How dare he take her innocence and good judgment and take advantage of her naivety like that? He knew that she would take it literally; he knew that Max was manipulating her for his own fear of being lonely. He had a small twinge of guilt however, that he also thought that if Max hadn't manipulated, she'd be gone to El Salvador, and not preparing for her Christmas dinner tomorrow. Max hadn't meant any harm, but he did make her think… and if being alone on Christmas means that nobody loves you, then what did that mean for himself?

It was Christmas Eve and he was alone. Did that mean that nobody loved him?

He sighed as he leaned against the corner, closing his eyes, he heard the soft knock on the door. He breathed deeply and sighed again, knowing that he should probably answer the door, though the knock was not persistent. They knocked again, a bit louder, but not much louder. He recognized that knock, and before he could move from his hiding spot, he heard the spare key in the lock and the door opening.

"Booth?" She whispered.

Of course it was Bones. There were no boundaries that she could see, so why not break into his apartment on Christmas Eve? A smile lifted on his lips, and he knew that she couldn't see him hiding in the dark corner behind the tree. She took a step toward his closed bedroom door and lingered for a moment, as if thinking. He knew her mannerisms pretty well, and he could tell that she wasn't upset, but there was something in the way she hesitated that made his heart pound and his chest tighten. She sighed, and turned, and looked directly at the Christmas tree. She held something in her hands, a small box brightly wrapped and tied with a sparkling red bow. She looked at the tree from afar for so long, that Booth thought for a moment that she could see him standing there, staring back at her.

She took a step toward the tree, the darkness of the room not bothering her as she walked across the floor as she had many times before. Her eyes rose to the top of the tree, where his mother's antique angel sit atop. She looked for a moment as if she wanted to reach up and touch it, her eyes sparkling with the lights of the tree as she stared up at the glowing angel. Her eyes danced over the branches and colors of the tree, and her hand lifted a handmade ornament that Parker had made, he watched as a tender smile rose on her lips. Her eyes stole back to the bedroom for a moment, as if expecting him to emerge, yet having no idea how incredibly close to him she was.

He breathed in a slow breath, smiling as he captured the scent of her perfume in the air, a scent that clung to the spruce branches even as she herself leaned in to breathe in the scent of the tree, closing her eyes for a moment as she smiled. He watched her sigh, delicately as she glanced back to the bedroom door. She looked like she was trying to make a decision, or build up her courage. He watched her stare at the door for a moment, before she very quickly bent down to place the gift she held her hands below the tree. She smiled as she stood up, taking one more quick look at the tree. "Merry Christmas, Booth." She whispered to herself, as she turned and walked toward the door, disappearing out into the hallway as quietly as she had come in.

Seeley felt the tear on his cheek before he could control it, and it was too late. He wasn't alone… not by a long shot. "Merry Christmas, Bones."


	11. Age 37:Christmas Day

Age 37-Christmas Day

The dishes had been washed, and most everyone had left. Bones found herself pouring two glasses of wine as soon as the door closed behind her father and Margaret, and she turned her head to see Booth half asleep on the couch. "Hey." She said as she walked toward him, sitting down beside him, she touched his hand with the stem of the glass and his eyes opened and his head tipped back forward as he eyed her carefully.

"What is this?"

"The rest of the wine." She said with a shrug. "I don't want it to go to waste."

"Ah…" He said with a friendly smile as she settled next to him on the couch and watched him. "Thank you." He said softly.

"I just couldn't see it going to waste, you know? It was very good wine, and…"

"Bones…" Booth said with a slight chuckle to his voice. "I mean thank you for inviting me for Christmas dinner. It was nice."

"I couldn't see you being alone for Christmas. We spend so much time together, we're practically family, right?" She paused. "I mean… family that I can put up with." She said with a knowing smile, watching his eyes soften as he relaxed into the couch, he yawned, covering his mouth with his wrist.

"Maybe wine isn't a good idea after all." She smiled, tipping her head onto the back of the couch as she pulled her feet up and curled up slightly.

"It's fine. It feels good to relax. Besides, we never had our closed case drinks that we always have." He said, holding out his glass to her, she smiled and leaned forward, toasting her glass with his. "To us." He said with a friendly smile. Their eyes didn't move from one another's as they sipped from their glasses. Bones blushed a little more the longer their eyes were connected, and after almost a minute, she let her eyes drift to the Christmas tree. She stared at it for several moments.

"Hey." Booth said softly, watching her eyes meet with his, she gave him a shy smile.

"Why were you hiding behind the Christmas tree last night?" She asked bluntly, watching his eyes widen in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up, and his jaw dropping slightly.

He recovered quickly, those brown eyes immediately taking on a playful defiance. "I wasn't hiding."

"You were standing there."

"And you broke into my apartment." He said with a slight chuckle that made her look away from him and back to the tree. "So you knew I was there?"

"How could anyone miss those socks you were wearing? You couldn't even hide them in the dark from across the room." She laughed. "It was how I knew that it was you, and not an intruder or something."

He laughed as he took his turn for his own cheeks to burn in embarrassment, he chuckled. "Why didn't you say anything?" He asked curiously, watching her shrug as she turned toward him, bringing her knees up to her chest as she watched him.

"I figured you had a good reason for it." She replied, shrugging as she glanced over at her Christmas tree, she let him recover from her reply.

"You figured I had a good reason for it?" He asked, leaning forward, he tried to catch her eyes, but she wouldn't relent and let him have them, she was far too engrossed in the Christmas tree. "Bones?" He said, waiting for her eyes to meet his, it took her a moment, but her head turned.

"Why were you behind the Christmas tree?" She asked again, her eyes honest and clear as she watched him avoid eye contact with her this time, his laugh was forced and nervous.

"I don't know why." He replied softly.

"You don't know why?" She asked, tilting her head, she watched as he stared at the tree and moved his lips as if he were trying to find the words. Suddenly, he placed the glass of wine on the table next to him and stood up. He walked over to her and held his hand out for her to take. "What?" She whispered. He wiggled his fingers, and without a second thought, she placed her glass on the coffee table and took his hand. He pulled her up carefully, and tugged her arm a bit, pulling her along with him as he walked toward the Christmas tree. He slipped behind the tree and into the corner, pulling her along with him. "Booth, what are we doing?" She whispered as she felt him tug her in front of him, putting his hands on her shoulders, she looked up at him. "Booth?"

"Look straight ahead." He said, nodding toward the tree.

"It's a tree…" She said, looking at the tree, and back up at him.

"You're a genius."

"I know." She whispered as she stared at the tree for a moment.

"Shh, Bones." He said as she stared out into her living room through the tree. His hands absentmindedly rubbed her arms tenderly. She felt a shiver work its way up her spine and her shoulders shrugged as his breath brushed across her ear.

"I loved Christmas when I was a little girl." She whispered. "Before my parents disappeared, of course." She swallowed hard as she watched the lights twinkling through the tree, her eyes focusing on the ornaments as she looked through the tree. "I loved the smell of the tree, and the feel of the needles on my fingertips… I loved the ornaments on the trees, and my mom and dad would drive us around the different neighborhoods, to look at the lights that everyone decorated their houses with. Russ and I would pick our favorites… and when we'd ride around the next week or so, my dad would always make sure he drove by our favorites." She paused as she stared at the branches before her, feeling his chin resting on her shoulder as she spoke, his soft, warm breath skating across her skin as he listened.

"Bones?" He whispered.

"Hmm…?" She said as she turned her head, feeling the scratch of his five o'clock shadow on her chin, she was nearly overtaken by the scent of his cologne, and the proximity of his lips to hers, though she kept her cool.

"I think that you figured out why I stand behind the Christmas tree each year." He whispered.

"So that you can look at the lights?" She asked, her head turning back to the tree as she listened to a tender sigh escape his lips.

"Not exactly."

"To try to recapture the way you felt when you were a little boy?"

"Mmm…" He nodded slightly into her shoulder, burying his nose in her shoulder slightly as they both remained silent for several minutes. "Are you going to make fun of me?" He whispered, his voice slightly muffled by her shoulder as she turned her head quickly to look into his eyes.

"No." She said sternly, her eyebrows furrowing, sending his head away from her shoulder as he looked at her nearly offended expression. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's silly and irrational, and it doesn't serve any other purpose other than for people to look in on me and make fun of me for being strange, or feel sorry for me." He replied.

"I don't feel sorry for you." She said definitively. "And I don't look in at you, Booth. I prefer to see things through your eyes every once in a while."

"Thanks, Bones." He whispered, settling back against the wall, she tipped back against him, leaning against his body, while she allowed him to wrap his arms around her, and attempted to see things through his eyes a little longer.


	12. Age 38: Part 1

Age 38- Christmas Eve-

The doorbell rang in the Booth household, and it was like a mad rush to the door as both Seeley and Parker tried to beat the other to the doorknob. "Ha! Beat you!" Parker exclaimed as he grabbed hold of the doorknob tightly and looked up at his father, who only smirked.

"You beat me to the doorknob, but not to the lock!" Seeley said as he pushed himself in front of his son, unlocking the door, he opened it slowly to peek out. "What do you want?" He asked the person on the other side, glancing down at Parker as the boy peeked out also.

"Bones!" Parker exclaimed happily as Booth stepped back and allowed her to step into the apartment, she smiled as the boy wrapped his arms around her waist in a happy hug. She patted his back with her hand and leaned down slightly as she hugged him back, dropping a soft kiss in his curly blonde hair. "Merry Christmas, Bones." Parker said proudly as he turned his head to see his dad watching the two of them, Bones looked up at him and smiled too.

"This is quite the welcome." She said as Parker took a step back and grinned, swinging his hands back and forth he ran for the tree.

"Wait until you see what me and Dad got you for Christmas, Bones!" He said excitedly as Booth turned his head toward his son, and grabbed his partner's arm softly as he swung his foot around and kicked the door closed.

"Hey, hey… hands off the presents…" Booth said as he wrapped his arms around his partner, kissing her cheek as she hugged him back. "Missed you." He whispered in her ear as he leaned his forehead against hers and watched her eyes roll.

"You left work, picked up Parker, and came home… we've been apart for exactly four hours, Booth." She said, looking into his eyes as he just smiled at her. "What?"

"Come on… we have to show you something." He said excitedly as he tugged her along, her coat hanging off her shoulders as she laughed.

"Stop pulling, Booth. I can walk by myself!" She laughed as he pulled her into the kitchen. "Something smells really good." She said as he walked around her and swung open the oven. "What is that?"

"Lasagna." He said proudly, standing up to cross his arms over his chest.

"Booth, Lasagna has…"

"And a vegetarian lasagna in a separate container." He said with a proud smile as she gave him a knowing grin back.

"I'm impressed." She said, her eyes sparkling as he closed the door on the oven and moved toward her, his hands moving for her shoulder as he pulled at her coat, dropping it from her shoulders, she tipped her head.

"You didn't bring any gifts." He stated, watching her head tilt as she shook her head.

"They are in the car." She said, glancing to Parker as he walked into the room, a video game at his fingertips. "I didn't have enough hands to carry them all in." She said as Booth's eyes widened in surprise.

"How many gifts did you get, Bones?" He asked as she shrugged her shoulders and watched him walk toward the door.

"What did you get me?" Parker asked as Booth gave him a warning glare as he just grinned and looked at Bones again. "What did you get me, Bones?"

"You'll have to wait to see, won't you?" She said, stepping to the door, she opened it and ushered the two Booth boys out into the hallway as she closed the door and walked down the stairs with them.

As they approached the car, Booth could immediately see that the back seat was filled with packages. "Geez, Bones, did you buy out the whole store?" He asked, stepping over to the car, he waited for her to reply, and when she didn't, he stopped. Suddenly, he felt a hard 'thwap' against the back of his head, and the unmistakable feel of snow rolling down his neck. "Hey!" He exclaimed at the giggles of both his son and his partner as they ducked behind the car. "This means war!" Booth said as he reached down and grabbed a handful of snow, moving around the car, he raised his hand to throw the snowball at Bones, when suddenly, there was another 'thwap' against his back as Parker ran out from the other side and successfully pelted his father with a handful of snow, laughing as he ran around the other side of the car, Booth tried to throw his snowball, just as he felt another hard 'thwap' on his back, turning to see Bones laughing, her head thrown back as he held his hands up. "No fair! Two against one is no fair!"

"Are you giving in?" Bones asked, holding a handful of snow in her hand as she approached him, a brilliant smile on her face as he grinned at her, knowing full well that Parker was standing directly behind him, poised.

"Oh, I'm going to give…" he paused as he grabbed the snowball from Bones and swung around, whipping the snowball at his son, it hit him squarely in the chest, sending the boy stepping backward with a squeak as he dropped the snowball in his hand. "…it right back to you!" He shouted as Parker scooped up more snow, and Bones and Booth started to throw snow at Parker, laughing and chasing one another around the car as they enjoyed the Christmas Eve afternoon.

-------------

When the gifts were finally inside, and the coats, mittens, and boots sit beside the door drying, things began to settle down to a quiet pace. Parker was on the couch, his eyes focused on the game in his hands, and Bones was quietly arranging the items under the tree. Crouched beside the tree, she moved the packages around carefully, when she felt him standing behind her. "What are you doing?" She asked, looking around, and up, seeing his hand extending toward her.

"It's dinner time." He said, shrugging.

"Dinner time…"

"Awesome, dinner time!" Parker exclaimed as he tossed his game on the couch.

"Go set the table… and we'll eat." Booth said as Parker hopped from the couch and ran toward the kitchen. Booth was still holding his hand out to his partner, and she grabbed onto it and allowed him to help her to her feet, tugging a little bit extra as she stepped into his embrace. "You really, really didn't have to get all of those gifts, Bones." He whispered, watching her tilt her head, she smiled.

"Yes I did." She nodded.

"He already likes you, you know?"

"I didn't buy the gifts as a form of bribery, Booth. I bought them as a symbol of my love and affection for…" She stopped, her eyes immediately widening as she realized what she had said. "Love and affection for the holidays… for Christmas and gifts and the tree… and…and…" Her cheeks were bright red as she tried to move to the side, only to be blocked by her partner as she tried to move past him.

"Bones!" He laughed as she pushed against his arm. "Bones, where are you going?"

"It's dinner time." She mumbled as he grabbed her arm and swung her around, pulling her into his arms, she kissed her forehead as she pressed her hands into his chest.

"Love you too." he whispered, feeling her hands pushing into his chest for a moment, it took a second, but she eventually just gave in, buried her face into his chest, and wrapped her arms around him.


	13. Age 38: Part 2

Age 38- Christmas Eve- Part 2

Seeley sat on the couch staring at the Christmas tree for several minutes. His focus was on the ornaments as he waited patiently for Bones to return from the kitchen. After another moment, she appeared behind him with two glasses of wine in her hand, and leaned over the back of the couch, handing him one of the glasses, she dropped a kiss on his cheek as he accepted the glass with one hand and reached up with the other to touch her cheek. He kissed her cheek tenderly, chuckling slightly as she accepted the kiss and stood up, walking around the couch. She settled beside him, her back against him as she took a sip of wine. "You shouldn't have let him open one of his gifts." He said with a chuckle as she shrugged.

"Why not? He was bored, we were having a good time… it kept him amused."

"You didn't have to let him open that particular gift." He laughed when he thought of the look on his son's face when he opened the gift from Bones that she had chosen for him to open on Christmas Eve. It was the rule… one gift on Christmas Eve, the rest on Christmas day. Bones chose the gift that he could open, and he was ecstatic when he opened the remote control helicopter, and insisted that he fly it around the house all evening, keeping himself busy, and letting Bones and Booth snuggle on the couch as they watched the boy move happily about the room, excited to show off his new toy. "It was probably really expensive."

"It doesn't matter if it was expensive or not. I saw that toy in the store, and I immediately knew that Parker would love it." She said proudly.

"That was very thoughtful of you." He said as he leaned toward her and dropped a kiss on her head.

"I can be a very thoughtful person, Booth." She said definitively as he brought his arm around her and settled his hand in hers while they each sipped from their glass of wine. The room was silent for a little longer, before she shifted slightly and looked up at him. "So when do you stand behind the tree?" She asked, her eyes dancing with the colors of the Christmas lights, and he could see the smile in them.

"Geez, Bones… make me sound like more of a psychopath."

"I'm not suggesting that you're a psychopath, Booth… I just…"

"What?" He asked, his eyebrows raised slightly as she shrugged.

"I like it."

"You like when I stand behind the tree like a crazy lunatic?"

"No." She whispered, watching his eyes fall slightly at her reply. "I like when you try to see Christmas from another perspective. Looking out on it instead of in… you're not a lunatic, Booth, you're sentimental. I like that."

"You like that, huh?" He asked, setting his wine glass on the table beside the couch, sitting up slightly, she looked over at him as she sat up.

"Where are you going?" She asked, following him with her eyes, he reached his hand out to her. He said nothing, only smiled as he wiggled his fingers to beckon her to come with him. "What?"

"What does it look like, Bones? Come on…" He said, finally feeling her hand in his as he pulled her from the couch. She stood up and pushed her body into his, his arm snaking around her back to support her against him as she leaned up for a tender peck on the lips. He buried his head in her neck for a moment as he felt her arms around him, hugging him close for a moment as he took a step back.

Silently, he turned toward the tree, her hand entwined in his as they made their way to the wall beside the tree. "Close your eyes." He said, watching her mouth open to protest, he tilted his head. "Just do it, Bones. You trust me, don't you?" He said, noting that her eyes were closed before he had even finished his sentence. "That's my girl." He said as he leaned down and kissed her nose, watching her eyes flutter open, he shook his head. "Eyes closed…" He whispered, watching the smile play on her lips, he couldn't resist but drop a kiss there. He took her hand again and helped her slide behind the tree with him, his back landing in the corner as he pulled his partner and girlfriend close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist as he peeked over her shoulder to ensure that her eyes were still closed. His lips were close to her ear when she felt the warmth of his breath on it. "Okay." He whispered.

He listened carefully, and after a moment, he heard a soft gasp come from the woman he held his arms around, his smile brightened tenfold and he waited for her to respond further. "Booth." She said softly, looking up at him and back to the tree, her eyes focusing on the small silver ornament before them, hanging just at her eye level.

"Read it." He said, nodding toward the ornament, she gave him a skeptical look and reached her hand out, touching the heart shaped ornament with her fingertips.

"Our first real Christmas Together… Love Always, Booth." She whispered the inscription as she carefully pulled the ornament from the branch, she held it up and smiled at it, her eyes flickering up to him. "Why doesn't it say your first name?"

"When was the last time you called me by my first name, Bones?" He whispered, watching her nod her head. "Besides." He whispered as he kissed her cheek. "Seeley was the kid that stood behind this tree alone… Booth is the man who has someone to share it with." He mumbled into her ear as she giggled just soft enough for him to hear it as she gently placed the ornament on the tree and pushed herself back into his arms, as together they breathed in the sweet scent of spruce, the lingering scent of a delicious lasagna dinner, and the soft perfume of the woman he loved as it all mixed together perfectly and completely as they looked out into the Christmas that they had created together, and dreamed of the happiness to come.


	14. Age 7: Matthew Booth

Age 7- Matthew Booth

Seven year old Matthew Booth stood straight as a pin, his shoulders upright and sharp, his head pressed evenly in the corner as he looked out into the family room. Typically if he were standing in this corner, he had a view of his parent's family room, covered with everything from artifacts to antiques from all over the country and all over the world, pictures that lined the walls of his older half brother and himself, his mother and father, and other family members.

Today, however, standing n front of him was the family Christmas tree. He wasn't hiding from anything specific. He never had anything to fear or hide from. His life was full of love and laughter, and now he simply waited for his father to come home from work. His mother had stayed home with him, school wasn't in session, but his father had said he had to go to work, because bad guys didn't sleep… even for Christmas. It was nearly five o'clock on Christmas eve, and Matthew stared into the trunk of the Christmas tree, staring at the wood, the smell of spruce filing the air as he smiled, thinking of this family tradition.

It had been snowing that morning, and he had played outside in the snow, his mother joining him in a snowball fight with him and his half brother, when they came into the house, the boys changed for dinner, and waited for his father to return home. He could smell the spruce from the tree, wafting through the air, the smell of his mother's lasagna sauce pushing over the smell of spruce, mixing it, swirling with it in the air. His mother had helped him change into his brand new green sweater, a gift from his Aunt Angela and Uncle Jack, and smiled when he thought of the gifts they would be bringing for him tomorrow for their annual Christmas Day feast.

He stared out past the tree, the decorations sparkling on the farthest branches, the tinsel and lights twinkling, the feeling of warmth that entered his heart when he thought of the holidays made his heart beat faster. All of the sights and smells of Christmas were in the air, and he couldn't think of anything better to do as he continued to wait for that door to open.

He heard the sound of the door opening, a slight creak in that front door as the cold of the outside came sliding through the house, only to be caught up in the warmth of their home. He remained silent behind the tree, listening to the sound of his father's voice as he called to his mother, that playful nickname he always used.

When she entered the room, she stopped in the doorway, watching as he tossed his trenchcoat on the chair beside the door, and laughed when she chided him for being untidy, spouting off some strange fact that his mother always seemed to know about packrats and hoarders, as he grabbed her around the waist and kissed her nose.

"Where's my boy?" Booth asked with a smile, looking around the room, he immediately spotted those colorful red and green striped socks that were planted firmly on the ground in the corner, and He kissed Matthew's mother one more time as he walked toward the tree.

He peered in through the branches at his boy, catching sight of those blue eyes staring back at him. "Are you ready for Christmas?" He asked, watching the eager nod from the little boy on the other side of the tree, he glanced to Bones. "Don't tell your mom, but I got you something special today on the way home from work."

He saw his son's eyes light up, widen with surprise as the lights from the tree shine in his eyes. "Is there room enough for two back there?"

"Yes." Matthew replied.

Booth turned to see the nearly stern glare from his wife and partner, chiding him in jest as he smiled at her. "It's just something small."

"Just remember the rules, Booth. One today, and the rest tomorrow."

"This one doesn't count." Booth winked as he slipped behind the tree, lifting his boy into his arms as he looked through at Bones.

Bones watched the two of them, her son and husband whispering behind the safety of the Christmas tree, behind the scent and sparkle of the lights, behind the homemade ornaments of both Matthew and Parker, behind the scent of the Lasagna cooking in the oven in the kitchen, and the cinnamon sweet smell of the cookies that she and Matthew had made together the day before. She listened to the giggle of her son with his father, the sound of their voices as they stood behind the Christmas tree together, happy to make a tradition that once was used to hide from the fears of growing up, into a tradition of staying a little boy forever.

"I love you." Bones said through the tree, catching the bright blue eyes of her baby boy, and the dark, happy eyes of her husband.

"We love you." They said together, and then returned to their task, of remaining little boys behind the Christmas tree once again.


End file.
